


Failure

by artemismagician



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 16:30:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21039272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artemismagician/pseuds/artemismagician
Summary: Julian loved her as hard as anyone could love another person, but sometimes that love is not always meant to last. Especially during a plague





	Failure

“Damn it,” Julian swore, running his hands over his face. “Why can’t I figure this out?” 

Circe cast him a glance from her work station, brushing platinum colored hair from her face as she stood. Julian was so consumed with his studies, and trying to find a cure for the plague, he had no idea she had come up behind him. With a devilish smirk, she threw her arms around his shoulders, lazily laying her head utop them. 

“Holy-” Julian bit off whatever else he was going to say in his surprise, before turning his head to meet her eyes. “You scared me.” 

“Not hard to do,” she teased, kissing his temple. “You should take a break.” 

“If the plague can’t take a break, I can’t either,” he sighed, running a hand through auburn hair. 

Circe frowned, disappointed that her first attempt to get him to focus on her instead of work had failed. Then a coy smile spread across her lips. Walking to his side, and falling in his lap, she threw a hand over her forehead dramatically. 

“Oh, my dear Doctor Devorak. I seem to have come down with a fever. I need you to help me. You are the only one who can.” Her tone was exaggerated, and just for good measure, she added an accent. Julian started to laugh. 

“I really should get you into community theater. You’re a natural talent waiting to be discovered.” 

Circe started to unbutton the first few buttons on her blouse. “That’s not the only thing waiting to be discovered.” 

With raised eyebrows, and a blush on his face, he gave into her desires. When they were finished, he held her for a moment, pressing a kiss to the side of her face. 

“Yeah, yeah,” She waved him off, rolling over to lay on her stomach, grinning at him from the pillow. 

“What?” He asked innocently. 

“I see you want to go back to your work,” She grinned. “I’m just glad I convinced you to take a break.” 

“I thoroughly enjoyed my break, let me assure you.” His face flushed at the words, his smile meeting his eyes in a way that reminded him of how much he loved her. 

Pressing one last kiss to her lips, he dressed and left to continue his work. Meanwhile, Circe burst into a coughing fit that she had been holding back. Her whole body wracked with each breath she took, feeling a wetness shoot out into her hand. 

She hesitated for a moment, before drawing the hand back and staring at the blood that coated it. 

Oh no. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me, love?” Julian asked her, as she helped him into his jacket. “Truly, the journey to Prakra would be much better with you by my side. Doctor Satrinava would surely adore you.” 

“Someone has to stay and make sure the patients are looked after,” She smiled. “Between you and I, I don’t trust Quaestor Valdemar much.” 

Julian grimace, “Yes, maybe it is better you stay, if only to look after the sick. Will you at least let me take a look at your eye before I leave?” 

Circe absentmindedly touched at the bandage that covered her left eye. “Don’t worry yourself over it. I just cleaned it a while ago, and it would be a shame to waste bandages.” 

“Remind me how it happened?” 

She sighed, “I tripped and fell onto the counter.” 

Julian frowned, opening his mouth to say something, but closed it when Circe pressed a soft kiss to his lips. 

“I’ll miss you,” she said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. 

He gripped her shoulders, pulling her into him to kiss her again, passionately. “I’ll miss you too. I’ll be thinking of you every moment I am gone.” 

She collapsed when he left, breathing ragged. She swore to herself, clenching her fists into the ground. She knew what his absence would mean, but there was no saving someone affected by the plague. 

“My darling!” Julian had called out when he returned. He had spoken with his mentor, having learned more strategies to better help try and deal with the plague, and he was excited to tell her all about them. 

“Julian…” Came her weak voice. She was crumpled in the corner of the room, breathing ragged. He rushed to her, pulling her into his chest. 

“What happened?” His voice panicked. 

Her eyes opened weakly, the sclera of both her eyes entirely red. “I’m sorry.” 

He froze for a moment, before lifting her in his arms, laying her out on the cot they shared in his office. “You’re going to be okay.” He sounded so sure, but she could see the way his hands shook as he tried to fill syringes in a last ditch effort to save her life. 

She had hoped she would be dead by the time he returned, and the Quaestor would have already disposed of her body; burning her at the Lazaret. 

“Julian…” her voice was weak, barely audible. 

“Don’t speak,” Tears filled his eyes, running down his cheeks. “Save your strength. I’ll fix this. I’ll make everything better, okay?” 

“Julian…” She reached up, her hand running down his face, before weakly falling to her side. 

“No. No, no, no! Stay with me! Oh, god. Please, don’t leave me!” 

It was too late though. Her pulse had stopped, and her corpse lay there dead. Julian sobbed onto her chest. 

Why had she not told him she was sick? Why did she stay behind? 

Like so many others he had tried to help, she was now added to the list of his failures


End file.
